


Blue

by Baozhale



Series: Tamora Pierce BINGO 2013 [5]
Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baozhale/pseuds/Baozhale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kel forgot to get clothing in Mindelan colors sooner after her Ordeal. Lalasa is amused by this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "blue" prompt for BINGO, and I can't title right now.

It had happened. The royal order had come, and she was to go to the border to take part in the war against Scanra.

Packing, Kel realized there was something she had forgotten to attend to: _Mindelan_ colors. Her clothing in Goldenlake colors had all been sturdy enough for Own duty, and had become her practice clothes at the palace. Given the lack of formal occasions in which she was taking part at the palace, she hadn't had reason to get breeches or tunic in Mindelan colors since her Ordeal.

She doubted she would be in a position of sufficient importance for it to _matter_ that she wore Goldenlake colors and not her own on the border. That didn't mean she should go in Goldenlake colors. Besides, she hadn't visited Lalasa in some time, and her friend would never let her hear the end of it if she went north improperly outfitted, even if they disagreed on what improperly outfitted meant.

Lalasa's shop was busier than Kel remembered, and Kel wondered if she should come back later. The decision was made for her when Lalasa noticed Kel's presence. “My lady! You should have been here sooner, running around in Goldenlake colors still!”

Kel had to laugh. Lalasa hadn't been her maid for better than four years now, but for all her transformation into Businesswoman Lalasa, Lalasa still acted like Kel's maid given half an opportunity. Kel eventually gave up on trying to change this, and was now more amused by it than anything else. It was easier to accept now that Lalasa's business was en route to making her moderately wealthy.

“Yes, I'm still running around in Goldenlake colors. I'm not about to get rid of perfectly good clothing just because I can't wear it to formal gatherings anymore. But I've been called north, and that means I need more than the one set of Mindelan colored clothing I wore when I was knighted, just in case.”

“Of course you do! I only had time to get the one dress set done before your Ordeal- party season- and I didn't think you'd mind-”

“Mind what? That you didn't make me clothing I hadn't thought to ask for yet? How could I mind that?”

“Most nobles expect their servants to be able to predict such things, my lady.”

Kel shook her head. “And am I 'most nobles'?”

Lalasa covered a smile. “No, my lady.”

“Though you did guess that I would need more clothes?”

“Yes, my lady.” Was that a giggle Kel heard? She could have sworn it was.

“And that my failure to realize this sooner is amusing?”

Lalasa _snorted_. Kel was fairly sure she had never heard her former maid snort before. “Perhaps a bit.”

Lalasa had made Kel sleeveless tunics, sleeved shirts, and breeches, all in soft but sturdy cotton- two sets each in Mindelan's blue, cream, and gray, plus blue tunic, cream shirt, and grey hose in velvet and silk for formal occasions, and now fit each item to the knight's shape with pins. Once they were done fitting, Lalasa showed Kel the cloak she had made. It was blue, with two rims: the inner cream and the outer blue. In the center was an embroidered gray owl, over crossed glaives, to match her shield.

Kel stared at the cloak. It wasn't unheard of to put one's device on their cloak, but it wasn't something most knights spent the money on. Embroidery didn't come cheap, and people generally took their cloaks _off_ upon arrival at the sort of formal event where no expense was to be spared upon appearance.

She protested, of course, but Lalasa rightly pointed out that the cloak was already made and there was nothing else that could be done with it. Lalasa seemed to view providing Kel with clothing for free as the closest equivalent to a share of shop profits her (former) mistress would accept, and Kel would go north in the best of fashion.

 


End file.
